


Who Says You Can’t Go Home

by ffdemon



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Author no nothing about how hyperdrive work, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Hurt Zeb, Hurt/Comfort, Kallus have a family, M/M, Meet the Family, Some OC - Freeform, Wedding At Some Point, lower coruscanti Kallus, random planet, small mention of wound and blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25283038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffdemon/pseuds/ffdemon
Summary: Kallus closes his eyes for a moment to calm his mind. He needs to focus and make a decision. The emergency life support won’t hold eternally, and Zeb requires medical attention.It’s a big bargain, but he must trust everything will go well.Kallus sets course for Andara.
Relationships: Alexsandr Kallus/Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios
Comments: 8
Kudos: 78
Collections: Kalluzeb Summer Exchange





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elle/gifts).



> For Elle: I really hope you like this one. It been fun to write!
> 
> Huge thank you to Drowning-inthe-feels for the beta read. I own you one.

A lot of people have thought that the destruction of the Death Star would give the Rebellion the edge in their battle against the Empire. But it has been more like kicking a Kheilwar wasp’s nest. The Empire is coming after them angry and with the intention to kill every last one of them.

That's why those kinds of runs to steal supplies and information have become at the same time more dangerous and essential for the rebels. Hera, the specters, and the Phoenix squadron were getting crates as Kallus and Zeb were gathering data.

Everything has turned wrong. Like it often does.

“Specter-4? Fulcrum? Where are you?” Hera asks in the com. Her voice is barely audible with the sound of fighting from both their sides. “The cargo is ready to go.”

Kallus curses as he presses his back against the wall as a volley of blaster bolts pass between him and Zeb. “Specter-2, we are in a tight spot. We will catch up.”

He moves out of his cover to fire at the Stormtroopers when his eyes fall on a Lambda shuttle in the back of the landing pad. It is an unusual sight but not unwelcome.

“As a matter of fact, we got our own ride out of here.” He adds and raises an eyebrow at the amused snorts Zeb made at this.

“I’ve heard that before…” Hera comments. “Be careful and join the fleet as soon as possible. Ghost out.”

Kallus looks at the Lasat. “When people are not shooting at us, I would like to be in on the joke.”

“I promise….” Zeb says before stepping out and effectively taking down three of their attackers. “What is your plan?”

“The shuttle.” Kallus answers, knowing Zeb does not require more details. They are working together long enough not to need a lot of words.

“I will cover you.” Zeb comments.

Kallus nods back and puts his Bo-rifle in staff mode. “Ready”

Their eyes meet for a few seconds, both asking the other to stay safe before Zeb growls and moves out of hiding. He begins to give the ex-Imperial agent covering fire.

Kallus doesn’t wait before running forward, knocking and stunning the trooper in his way. The familiar sound of Zeb’s rifle is right behind him, telling him his boyfriend is following. He is taking down the one out of Kallus’ range. With their efforts combined, the human manages to reach the boarding ramps easily.

The shuttle is empty. They are in luck. He put his staff against the co-pilot chair and begins to prepare for launch.

“Specter-4, get in here.” He orders.

“I’m coming…” Zeb calls back as he steps on the ramp and continues to shoot as other forces arrive in the hangar.

Kallus shakes his head, knowing the Lasat will take down as many as he can. He maneuvers the ship for lift off when he hears Zeb yell in pain. He turns just in time to see the large rebel throw out an imperial technician.

Where did he come from? That is when he spots a maintenance hatch open between them.

“Zeb?” He asks, worried.

“Just go!” The Lasat growls as he presses the button to close the ramp. He grunts as he rests his shoulder against the bulkhead, one hand clenched to his side.

“You are bleeding,” the human realizes.

“It’s nothing in comparison to being blown up…. Get us out of here,” Zeb replies.

Alex still wants to check on his partner, knowing it has to be serious if he is bleeding, but Zeb is right. They need to be safe first.

He pilots the shuttle out of the hanger. The battle outside is done as the TIE fighters are making their way back to the lower floor. Kallus lets out a soft sigh. There is no ship wreck so he is fairly sure The Ghost and the rest of the Phoenix squadron manage to flee in hyperspace. Now they only need to do the same before they are spotted.

Zeb walks to the co-pilot chair and sits down with a hiss. Kallus sends a glance at him and frowns at the dark blood on the Lasat’s hand. But before he can comment, there is a transmission coming.

“The rebels are stealing a shuttle. All units, don’t let them fleet!” An officer screams over the communication.

“Hold on, Zeb,” he says as he takes a turn as the TIE turns around toward them.

“Karabast…” Zeb curses as his side slams against the armrest. His voice sounds strained.

“Sorry,” Kallus replies as he continues to fly, trying not to be hit.

“Just focus on not getting us to blow up,” Zeb comments and reaches for the console. “Something is weird with the shield. And hyperdrive… Everything about this shuttle control is wrong.”

“Wiring trouble. Well, that explains the technician in the maintenance hatch… Can we still make a jump?” He asks.

“I think … But I’m not sure if it won’t give halfway.” The Lasat captain replies. “For once in my life, I miss Chopper.”

Kallus knows that malfunction of the hyperdrive could kill them. So can facing a bunch of TIE fighters with a faulty shield. He hates when they have to choose their poison. Sadly, he wasn’t a pilot like Hera so that only left them one option.

“Prepare the jump,” he orders. “Make a short one. Just so we can get a distance between us and here.”

“And plan form there.” Zeb finishes, already working.

Having no other choice, Kallus maneuvers the shuttle to avoid as much damage as he can, though still the TIE manages to make some solid hits. The weakened shield won’t hold much longer.

“Any time now, Zeb,” he says between his teeth.

“Now!” The Lasat yells.

It is the moment of truth.

Alex grabs the lever and pushes it forward. For a second, it seems like nothing is functioning as all the lights flicker.

“No, no, no…. Work, you piece of junk,” Zeb growls and slams his huge fist on the console.

Suddenly, the familiar blurry lines of hyperspace appear. They both lean back in their seats as the shuttle slides away from the construction station. They didn’t explode. Kallus takes a deep breath. So far so good. He looks toward Zeb. The lasat has his eyes closed and has his arms draped over his forehead.

“Let me check your wound,” He says softly. He needs to focus the adrenaline still flowing in his vein on something useful.

“It’s not as bad as you think.” Zeb sighs, pulling his arms away and turning his seat toward his boyfriend.

The facts that he didn’t deny the injury and accepted to be treated that easily ring warning bells in Kallus’s mind. Zeb is clearly hurting more than he really wants to show.

That is when they both realize those alarms came from the shuttle.

Kallus brings his attention back to the console to see the light flicker off again.

“Kara…” He couldn’t finish before he is thrown forward as the shutter fell out of hyperspace. It was like hitting a wall.

The last consistent feeling he has is Zeb’s feet grabbing his legs so he doesn’t crash against the window.

Everything goes black.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything is so quiet.

This is not normal. Bases and ships are always full of activity at any time of the day. War does not stop for the night shift.

Making the silent so eerie and worrying.

Alexsandr forces his eyes to open. As his body slowly wakes up, he can feel his head and rib throbbing. He has a hard time breathing, too. In the red lighting of the emergency life support, he sees what obstructs his breathing.

“Zeb…” he mumbles out as he grabs the arm of the man and tries to shake him awake. His fingers brush against a wet spot on the Lasat side.

The stab wound.

How long have they been out?

Kallus curses loudly and pushes Zeb off him gently so he can check the cut. It isn’t as clean as he expected from a blade, seeming like the technician jabbed some piece of metal or broken pipe into Zeb’s flesh. The bleeding had stopped earlier but moving him reopened it. The human takes his jacket off quickly, followed by his shirt. He uses the fabric to make pressure on the wound.

Zeb growls and tries to push him away in his confusion.

“It is only me. Let me treat you,” Kallus says and puts his free hand on his chest.

That is enough to calm him down as he turns to look at him

“Sasha, you are bleeding.” One clawed finger reaches to touch his eyebrow arch, making the human hiss. That explains the raging headache. The green eyes are a little unfocused and confused as they move down. “And shirtless…”

Kallus shakes his head. Even in his state, that would be one of the first things Zeb would spot. He is still being a lovable, sacrificing idiot.

“It is nothing in comparison to your side,” he reminds him. “How do you feel?”

Zeb seems to think for a moment. “Tired and cold.”

Kallus frowns more at the confession. Zeb never gets cold. He uses his shirt as a makeshift dressing on the wound. He put his jacket on top of Zeb’s chest.

“Don’t move. I will try to get you something warmer,” he says softly and kisses the Lasat’s forehead. Even with the velvety fur there, he can feel the skin is colder and clammy than normal.

Kallus rises and groans. His ribs are hurting. He takes a deep breath to check for any broken ones. Luckily, they seem to be only badly bruised. With that out of the way, he makes his way to the equipment storage. It is emptier than he has expected. Clearly this shuttle has run into a lot of trouble before getting in the repair hanger. They didn’t need to restock it until it was ready to go back to space. They have a bunch of Imperial uniforms, some rations, and a few blankets. Sadly, no first aid kit. Kallus grabs the reflective blanket and one of the largest uniform jackets before he returns to Zeb’s side. He wraps him the best he can. He has to fight the Lasat to get his coat back but smelling his scent on it is clearly a source of comfort for him. He decides to let Zeb have it. He folds it to make a pillow and puts the Imperial one on.

“Try to rest,” Alex mutters as he pets his boyfriend’s head softly. “I will work on finding out where we are.”  
Zeb nods a few times, already drifting now that he is warm. Alex presses another kiss beside his left ear before walking to the pilot seat.

The main console has been damaged by their crash landing on it. By some miracle, the navigation computer is still functioning. At least it says it is, but their position didn’t make any sense. It reports they are just outside the sector of Hosnian Prime.

How they managed to reach the boundary of the Core Worlds with their broken hyperdrive is beyond him.

Not only is this sector not safe for a rebel by being so close to many Imperial worlds, there is no way they could reach any rebellion base with the shuttle in this state. Their only option at the moment is to find a planet near and secure enough to get treatment for Zeb and a new transport.

He opens the holomaps and begins to look at the planet near them.

One name makes him stop.

Andara.

The lake houses.

Just before Alexsandr was assigned to investigate the rebel activity on Lothal, his mother and sister finally made their dream come true to get out of Coruscant. With both his father’s small inheritance and Alex’s income that he sent them for years, they managed to leave their little apartment in the lower levels for a nice little home near a lake on Andara. Kallus was glad they had the chance to have a better life.

It hits him like a punch in the stomach.

How is his family? Are they okay without him sending them money? Did the Empire try to retaliate against them for his defection?

Did they even know if he is alive?

Are they ashamed of him?

Kallus closes his eyes for a moment to calm his mind. He needs to focus and make a decision. The emergency life support won’t hold eternally, and Zeb requires medical attention.

It’s a big bargain, but he must trust everything will go well.

Kallus sets course for Andara.

With the autopilot still functioning, the ex-agent decides to use that time to make some repairs on the transport. He makes sure there are no active trackers and the temporary fix on the shuttle will last until they arrive. It takes him more time than expected because he keeps checking on Zeb. The Lasat wakes up sporadically during the trip, but he is gradually becoming more confused and feverish. Concerned, Kallus tries to make him drink a little water from the rations.

When the larger man finally settles down, Alexsandr sits in the pilot seat and seizes control back. He pushes the shuttle as much as possible.

Kallus lets out a sigh when he manages to land the shuttle at walking distance from the house. This region is still largely uninhabited and the sun is beginning to set so he really hopes he didn’t attract too much unwanted attention.

“Zeb. Wake up, Dear,” He murmurs, petting the Lasat’s face softly.

Green eyes open slowly and look at the human, confused at first before he grins. “Hey, Gorgeous.”

Kallus shakes his head and smiles weakly. “I have to go out to get help. You think you will be okay?”

He hates the thought of leaving his wounded boyfriend here without proper defence, but there is no way he can bring Zeb with him when he has no idea what he will be facing.

“Help me sit down and give me my bo-rifle,” Zeb answers after a moment.

Kallus does as he says. “I have my comm with me. I will be back as soon as possible.”

“I know… Just be careful, Sasha,” the Lasat mutters.

Alex leans to kiss him softly. “I will.” He presses his forehead against Zeb’s.

He finally finds the strength to pull away and lower the entry ramps. After a few hours in heavily recycled air, the crisp and earthy wind coming from the lake and the forest around him is nearly overpowering. He breathes deeply to clean his lungs, but his bruised side reminds him it is a bad idea.

Still, it helps to clear his mind and ease his headache.

Alex takes a dirt pathway that seems to go toward the house. His sister had shown it to him the only time he visited. He just hopes he is moving in the right direction.

A voice stops him when he reaches the end of the path.

“This is private property,” a deep male voice calls. “And no Imperial is welcome here.”

“I’m not an Imp, and I’m looking for the Kallus family,” he answers, trying to see who is talking to him.

“Your uniform tells another story,” the man replies coldly. “Don’t move, or I will fire.”

“Demes. What is happening?” A familiar tone could be heard.

“Go back inside, Ms. Kallus.” The man cut the other off, but Alexsandr recognizes his younger sister's voice.

“Inessa!” Kallus yells and runs out of cover.

“Sasha? No, don’t shoot!” His sister calls but it is too late.

There is the sound of a stun blaster, and Kallus’ body seizes as he falls forward.

The last thing he sees before he loses consciousness is the long golden hair of his sibling.


	3. Chapter 3

For the second time that day, Kallus is fighting his way back to consciousness. His head hurts even more now, his whole body is sore, and his limbs feel full of durasteel. He knows it’s a common after effect of a stun gun, but years of combat situations make him hyper-aware of his vulnerability.

The one feeling he hasn't expected is the one of fingers running in his hair softly. Zeb loves to play with his hair and beard in the morning to wake him up slowly. But those fingers are too slender and lacking claws that gently scratch his skull.

Kallus eyes open suddenly as he grabs the wrist of the person touching him.

“Easy, Alexsandr,” a gentle and accented voice whispers. He relaxes even before the other word comes. He knows that voice. “You are safe, son.”

Alex’s hazel eyes meet with a tearful grey gaze.

“Mama….” He whispers, letting go of her wrist.

The hard-working hands are calloused and dry, but their tender touch feels so soft when she cups her son’s cheeks and kisses his forehead. “My little boy… I thought I had lost you.” 

Alex lifts his arms to wrap them around his mother’s shoulders as he senses a few tears on his skin. At this point, he doesn’t care if it’s hers or his. Never had Orina Kallus appeared so frail. For a moment, she didn’t seem the same woman he had seen last time, but then she hugs him back with the familiar strength she always has.

The inexhaustible tenacity of a mother that had raised two children mostly by herself in the lower level of Coruscant as her husband had some shady jobs off the planet. The woman who became a widow with a ten and eight year old and had to do her best to give them a chance in life.

Her hug is the only one that can rival Zeb's.

Zeb! Karabast, how long has he been out?

Kallus pushes her back gently as he gets up, even if his side is still painful. “Mother. The shuttle I came in on… I have a teammate who needs medical care.”

“We know. Your friend is resting in the guest room,” she answers and grabs his elbow. She barely reaches his shoulder in height but feels like she is holding most of his weight. “Easy, Alexsandr, you are hurt, too.”

“I have had worse, Mother.” He tries to reassure the woman but that is clearly having the opposite effect. “I only need to see him.”

Orina sighs softly and guides him out of the room and down the hall. “He is stable and resting. I have patched his wound. It was getting infected because of a piece of metal stuck in the flesh.”

That would explain why Zeb’s state had declined so fast in the few hours they had been on the shuttle.

“That didn’t stop him from giving us trouble,” the male voice from earlier says.

The man is sitting in a chair beside a door. Even in this position, Alex notes that he is tall with solidly built and large shoulders. He has tan skin, green eyes, with short brown hair, a well trimmed beard, and has the appearance of someone that has worked outside. It is hard to tell his age. There is a nasty bruise on the side of his head.

“Demes, you should be in bed,” Orina orders softly.

“Are you sure? The big guy didn’t seem too happy about seeing us,” the man says and rises. He is even taller than Alex expects, Just between his and Zeb’s height.

“Do not worry. When he realizes I am there, Garazeb will know it is safe and won’t hurt anyone,” he snaps.

That man is getting on his nerves.

“Alright,” Demes mumbles and begins to walk away. He turns toward them one last time. “By the way. No offense about the stun ray. I was just doing my job.”

“None taken….” Kallus answers before he passes the door.

The room is simply lit by a lamp on the nightstand, but he can easily spot the Lasat on the bed. The thunderous sound of Zeb’s snoring is music to Alex’s ears. It is not the laborious breaths he had back on the ship. This is a normal noise; a healthy one. He walks beside the mattress and puts his hand on top of Zeb’s as he monitors his state. He is still a little paler than he normally is, but not many can see it under his fur.

Kallus runs a hand to his head, checking his temperature. It is closer to his regular one. The snoring stops, and Zeb produces that confused purring sound he sometimes makes when he wakes up suddenly. One of his ears moves and tickles his wrist.

“Sasha….” Zeb says as his green eyes open slowly. They are cloudy; clearly they have given Zeb some good drugs for the infection. Lasat can have human medicine, but it always makes Zeb a little dazed.

“Hey, Zeb. Go easy,” Kallus says as he continues to pet his head and cheek tenderly.

“What happened? Where are we?” His expression clears up, and he looks around. He tenses when he sees the woman standing on the other side.

Kallus feels his cheek burn when he realizes he forgot his mother is still in the room. He lets go of Zeb’s face and steps back.

Orina doesn’t mention anything, bless her heart, as she steps closer. “I’m sorry for earlier, my son-in-law startled you badly. Allow me to introduce myself…”

“You are Sasha’s mom,” Zeb blurts out.

“Wait, what son-in-law?” Kallus tries to cut in, but he is ignored by both his mother and lover.

The woman chuckles a little. “You aren’t wrong. I’m Orina Kallus.”

“I could tell…. He has your smile and clearly your beauty, too.” Zeb attempts to sit up, but Alex stops him. “I’m Garazeb Orrelios.”

Alex doesn’t know if he wants to laugh at his boyfriend's bluntness or hide. Maybe both. At least his mother seems to be amused by all this.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Orrelios. I guess you are keeping my son out of trouble,” she states, taking a seat on the side of the bed and looking at the Lasat. She doesn’t seem to be scared or care that he is a seven-foot-tall alien.

“Call me Zeb…” He mutters as his ears fall a little at this. He raises one of his large hands to rub the back of his neck, appearing like a child being scolded. “I wish I can say yes ma’am, but I might have got him in more danger than out of it.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Alexsandr always had a knack to get in trouble.” She chuckles a little. “Maybe you can help me understand something.”

“Mother, please, I’m not sure Zeb is in any state to answer any questio,.” Alex intervenes, but again he is ignored.

“Anything for you, ma’am,” the largest male says with a stupid grin on his face.

“Care to tell me where my son has been for the last two years?” She says in a soft voice but sends a pointed look at the blond man.  
“Oh, yeah, with us in the rebellion. Hope that is okay with you…. We kind of became friends on an ice moon and he decided to join us,” Zeb answers with a cocky grin. “He has helped us win a few battles since. A true rebel.”

Kallus wants to explain this more to his mother, but his words die on his lips when he sees her face. Her eyes are full of tears, yet her smile is as proud as Zeb’s. That shocks him enough that he must sit down too.

“That's my boy,” she declares and looks at her son. “I always knew.”

Alex lowers his head. “Mother.”

When he had decided to join the Imperial Academy, it was because he wanted a good job and education to support his family. A legal way, not like his father. His mother had tried to stop him, saying that she feared he would destroy his soul in that work.

But she had been right. He nearly lost himself in that job. Zeb had helped save him. Alex takes Zeb’s hand in his and squeezes it gently.

“Sorry he got you upset, Ma’am,” Garazeb mutters, looking apologetic.

“Please don’t worry, Zeb,” She reassures him. “My son is alive and well cared for. That is all a mother can ask for.”

Zeb watches her and blinks a few times. He becomes quiet suddenly, and Kallus thinks he has an idea of what is passing in his mind. Lasat had a matriarchal society, and Zeb had been close to his grandmother, having mentioned her before to Kallus..

“Mother, I believe we should let Zeb rest,” he suggests softly.

The woman seems to realize that the ambiance of the room changed. She gets up slowly and gently tucks the blanket more around Zeb’s body. The large green eyes are watching her do that, but the moment she looks up, they are closed.

“You rest a little more. If you are up for it, you can join us for breakfast,” she says and runs her hand fondly on the purple arms before she leans in to press a gentle peck on Zeb’s forehead.

Kallus has always been impressed by his mother’s way to adapt to the situation and how she can read other people. But this… He tears up a little when he feels Zeb squeezing his hand.

Orina leans in to press a kiss on Alex’s cheek tenderly, too. “You sleep, too. The bed is big enough for both of you.”

Alex blushes a deep red at this. She knows about them. 

His mother would have been a dangerous ISB Agent.

“I will, Mama. Do not worry,” he assures her before he watches her go out of the room.

Kallus just moves to lay against Zeb's good side and wraps his arms around his torso, head pillowed on his shoulder.

“Are you okay, Zeb?” He asks softly.

Zeb only nods, not opening his eyes or saying a word. Whatever memory that has come up, combined with the painkiller and the general exhaustion, he isn’t in any state to discuss it.

Alex only hugs him more and kisses his cheek. He ignores the salty taste of tears. They can talk more about this when Zeb is in shape to do so. Being here for him is the priority.

“Sleep, my dear. I’m right beside you,” He whispers.

They both fall asleep in a few minutes


	4. Chapter 4

When morning comes, Kallus is worried to find the space beside him empty and cold. Alarmed, he pushes him up and looks around the room..

Zeb is sitting in a lounge chair near the window, looking outside. He is only wearing his pants as a large bandage is wrapped around his waist and secured on his shoulder. The view of the lake here is gorgeous. It is early, and the soft colour of the sunrise is reflecting on water, giving the impression of an underwater nebula.

The Lasat ears moving in his direction is the only acknowledgement he offers him. His green eyes are fixed on the view outside, body really tense and his toes curling and uncurling in a nervous twitch.

Zeb is upset about something. Before Alex can ask him what is wrong, he finally talks.

“You could have told me you still have a family,” Zeb says in a neutral voice.

Scratch unsettled; the other man is pissed off. The one thing Kallus has learned with time is that if something is upsetting Zeb enough, he would close himself off; like he is trying hard not to sound mad and start a fight, but he is really hurt.

Kallus sighs and sits up in the bed, back pressed in the pillow and bending his good knees closer to his chest. His right one is always so stiff in the morning since Bahryn.

“The subject never came up.” he answers simply.

“You didn’t trust me?” The Lasat asks, still not looking at him.

“Zeb, you know that is not true. You are the person I trust the most in all this universe and beyond.” He sighs and watches his reaction.

“Then why?” He finally turns his eyes toward him.

He appears so sad. This is affecting him more than Kallus could ever expect. Last night it wasn’t only the drugs that troubled Zeb’s feelings so much. Family means a lot to the Lasat, and clearly the idea of Kallus away from them is distressing for Zeb.

“I sincerely don’t know, Zeb,” He says softly. “I guess it is because of the way I pushed myself during my career in Empire. As much as I love my mother and my sister, I couldn’t become distracted by thinking of them. I must do my work and do it well so they will get the money. In time, I only had contact with them when I did not have a mission. Since I defected…. I couldn’t focus on anything else.”

He takes a long breath. It wasn’t only that.

“And… Maybe deep down I was scared.”

“Scared? Of what?” Zeb asks. At least his voice is warming up now.

Kallus snorts a little. “Not sure… Of their reaction. The empire attacking them to hurt me. There was so much that could go wrong.”

Zeb stays quiet for a moment like he is trying to find a good answer. “Kind of makes sense...”

Seeing how troubled he looks, Alex gets out of bed and kneels beside the chair. He puts his hand on the lasat’s knee squeezing the muscle there. “Why is that upsetting you so much?”

“I can’t imagine the agony your family had to go through, not knowing if you were alive … And I feel it was my fault to have kept you away from them,” Zeb whispers. “Or maybe I’m just envious…”

Kallus reaches for his hand and kisses his palm tenderly. “You haven’t forced me away from them, Zeb… If you think a second that I am ashamed of us, you are gravely mistaken. The rebellion and the fact I might be a bit of a workaholic are the only things that have stopped me from calling them.”

“Sasha….” Zeb whispers, and he runs his free hand over his mutton chop.

“You are stuck with me, Beloved. Even more now, because clearly my mother has taken a liking to you already. She will kill me if I don't stay with you.” He says and leans in his touches.

“The worst is I can’t tell if you are joking or not,” the Lasat mutters.

“I’m not. She might be small, but she is a force of nature.” He chuckles, trying to get comfortable. His knee and his side are still sore.

“I saw that. She reminds me a lot of my grandmother…. Come here, you moron,” Zeb declares and pulls on his hand until the human is sitting on his lap. It is awkward with both of them being tall, hurt, and the chair a bit small.

“It would have been easier if you had stayed in bed,” Kallus comments but lays his head on Zeb’s shoulder.

“I couldn’t sleep anymore… And I keep hearing a baby crying,” the larger man mumbles and brings him close.

“A baby?” Kallus asks.

“Yeah…. You know, a tiny version of an adult that needs to be cared for. How hard have you hit your head actually?” Zeb replies and runs his thumbs on the small cut and bruise on his forehead.

“I am familiar with the concept of infants, Garazeb,” Kallus sarcastically counters and rolls his eyes. “And I’m okay. Really. Feeling much better today. What about you?”

“Good … Side is still bothering me, but I can think straight again,” Zeb answers and nuzzles his face in his hair. “Getting hungry, though.”

“Mother did offer to join them for breakfast. Are you feeling up to it, or I could bring you some food?” Kallus proposes softly.

“If you're sure your mom and sister won’t mind a half-naked Lasat at their table, I’m ready to go,” Zeb mutters against his skull.

That is when Kallus realizes the bloody remains of Zeb’s jumpsuit top are lying on the ground. The chance that they can find something fitting his lover’s frame here is small.

Kallus chuckles weakly. “We are from lower Coruscant, Zeb. There is not much that can surprise or shock them.”

Zeb looks a little unsure but nods. “Alright… Just don’t want to make a bad impression on my future in-laws.” He rubs on his arms.

Kallus blushes at this. They never have talked about tying the knot, but he feels comfortable with the possibility it could happen one day. “I told you. My mom already loves you.”

Zeb grabs his hand and gets on his feet. He seems a bit unsteady as he takes his first step. Kallus moves against his uninjured side. Zeb lets out a little sigh but accepts his help and leans against him. The home is simple, so it is not hard to find the kitchen.

Kallus stops at the entrance, watching the scene in front of them. His mother is sitting at the table and is giving a bottle to the baby. Inessa and Demes are in the kitchen preparing breakfast. It is such a normal scene that it feels like walking into another dimension. The most domestic thing Zeb and he could do most of the time is to get their caf at the same time.

Orina looks up and smiles warmly. “I was wondering if you would join us. Come sit down, Zeb, you should probably not stand for so long.”

“I’m fine, Ma’am…” he says, his ears moving back and showing his embarrassment.

Kallus helps his lover to the nearest chair close to his mother. The second that Zeb is safely seated, Kallus finds himself with an armful of his sister as she throws herself in his arms. His side complains, but he didn’t care.

“Hey, Inessa….” He mutters and hugs her closer.

“By the stars, Sasha…” she says weakly between sobs.

He smiles softly and pets her blond hair. She hasn’t changed one bit since last time he saw her. No matter how old they are getting, she would always be his little sister. Inessa finally moves back and brushes her cheek to clean the tears off just before she punches him hard in the arms.

“You’re such a kriffing ass!” She yells. “We thought you were dead.”

Kallus rubs the sore spot and looks at her. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t risk the Empire coming after you.”

“You expect it could stop them? Even after they announced you were killed in action, they keep checking on us. It was to the point we were considering selling the house,” she answers, clearly angry.

Her outburst seems to agitate the baby in their mother’s arms.

“Nessa, calm down. You will make our daughter cry,” Demes says as he brings the food to the table.

The young woman takes a deep breath. “You are right.”

Alex watches them and realizes that Demes is the son-in-law Orina had talked about. Hire protection, maybe?

Inessa reaches to grab his elbow and pulls him toward their mother. “At least have the decency to say hello to your niece. Alexsandr, meet Alyx.”

Kallus groans a little at the name. “Please tell me you didn’t name her after me….” He mutters.

“Yes, I did. Sue me for wanting to honour my lying big brother?” She replies crossing her arm.

“Inessa, don’t be mean,” their mother warns her. “Everyone, stop fighting and let's eat.”

“Yes, Mother,” they both answer before taking place at the table.

Alex sits with Zeb on one side and his sister and the other man on the other, with his mother at the head of the table. Kallus sends a glare at Zeb when he hears his not so subtle chuckles. The Lasat doesn’t flinch at that and just sounds more amused by the situation than anything. Of course, he would. Sometimes Zeb seems to enjoy Alex’s torment.

“Now I think official introductions are in order,” the matriarch says when everyone has some food in them. She looks at Alex and Zeb. “My daughter Inessa, her husband Demes, and the cute little one is Alyx.” She turns to the other side. “My son Alexsandr, and his boyfriend Garazeb.”

Kallus chokes on his piece of waffles at this.

“MOTHER!” He manages to croak between his coughing and Zeb patting his back hard.

“Oh, please, Alexsandr, don't try to deny it. I have seen how you two act around each other,” the older woman says when he finally catches his breath. “Anyway, I know my children have a type.”

Zeb and Demes stare at each other in surprise.

It was true that if you put aside the fact that one is a giant purple Lasat, they do look a little alike.

“Karabast” Kallus mumbles before hiding his face in his hand.


	5. Chapter 5

They end up staying nearly a week on Andara.

They had managed to communicate with the rebellion on the second day to let them know they were still alive. Hera had offered to pick them up, but both Kallus and Zeb had agreed it was better that she remained on Hoth. The rebellion needed their best ship and pilot available. Alex was pretty sure he had heard the sound of Solo’s outrage yelling in the background when they said that.

Not to mention, Kallus prefers to leave from here by themselves. The fixing of the shuttle has allow Zeb some time to heal properly before he throws himself back into the fight. And not having rebel activity around the planet will lessen the chance that his family gets caught in crossfire.  
Maybe Kallus is not in a hurry to go back to the cold base of Hoth, where Zeb’s warmth is the only thing that keeps him sane on a bad night.

During the week, Alexsandr reconnects with his family and learns a few things about himself.

The fact that has surprised him the most has been that Demes is not a bounty hunter or a gun for hire to protect his family. He is the son of a local farmer that brings supplies to the Kallus every week. It just happened that his impressive frame easily scared away anyone giving them grief. He ended up staying around, and that was how he hooked up with his sister.

Speaking of Inessa, he hasn’t been surprised that she is finding work as a mechanic. She had been the one who had taught him how to repair diverse electronic components with a mouse droid she had found in the slum. She has such a reputation around the town that she has used her notoriety to obtain some pieces for the shuttle. He is so proud to see how much her skills have grown. He has offered to help her but most of the time he has felt he was getting in her way.

It has been nice to work with her. They finally had the opportunity to talk and make peace with what happened recently. She is still mad at him for having let them believe he was dead, but slowly understands the logic behind his action and she is happy to have her big brother back.

One thing that was hard was to convince Zeb to stay home while they worked so he could rest. But the moment his mother asked him to keep her company while everyone was out, Zeb couldn’t say no to her. So it was a regular sight to spot the Lasat sitting on the porch in an important conversation with the Kallus matriarch while holding her yarn as she knits or playing with baby Alyx. Clearly Zeb was liking the older woman a lot, and the feeling was mutual.

Alex already knows that Garazeb is good with children just by how he acts with Jacen the few times they have babysat him. He just never expects how it affects him. One day he walked back to the house to find Zeb napping on the couch with Alyx sleeping on his chest, one of his larger hands nearly covering her completely.

That is when it hit him as hard as a force push. He wants to be able to one day arrive home to a scene like this.

He has no idea how long he has been staring before his mother speaks quietly behind him.

“Alyx has really bad colic, but it looks like Zeb has a magic touch,” she says softly.

“Lasats run warmer than humans. But yes, he is wonderful with kids. You should see him with our nephew,” he whispers.

“You’d better not let that one go, Alexsandr. I have never seen you that happy before,” she comments and squeezes his shoulder.

“I won’t, Mama,” he assures her. “Only death or Zeb getting tired of me could end this.”

“And no secret wedding. I have to be there,” she warns him, her voice a bit louder.

“Mother, please,” Kallus says, blushing.

Zeb snorts as he tries to still be faking to sleep.

“That counts for you, too, Garazeb,” she declares.

“Of course, Aman.” He answers, opening his eyes, and grins.

“Good.” Orina kisses her son’s cheek and goes back in the kitchen

Kallus raises an eyebrow at the word. Zeb is slowly teaching him Lasana. He didn’t expect him to use that word for his mother.

Zeb glances up at him, looking a bit cautious. “Hope it’s okay. She insists I call her mom… I couldn’t wrap my mind around using basic.”

“If Mama asks you to, I would be crazy to try to stop her.” Alex smiles and leans to kiss him softly. “Want me to take Alyx to bed?”

Zeb shakes his head. “We are good. You can come and lay down with us instead,” he mutters.

“This couch is too small for us,” he comments but still sits on the arms of the couch and runs a hand in his niece's soft hair.

They both are anxious to go back to the base and continue the fight, yet neither could deny that this small break has helped them. Not only to recharge their own batteries, but also to find many other reasons to win this war.

***Five Years Later.***  
Alexsandr looks at himself in the full-length mirror. This is one of the perks from living on Lira San: no need to bend to see his whole body in one.

He had been worried about this. At first, Chava had tried to get him to wear the Lasat wedding attire, yet it had felt wrong for him. Of course, the Lasat people have welcomed him as one of them. Still, using their tradition that way was weird to him. In the end, he decided to go with something close to his navy double breasted dress uniform in style but with more traditional Lasat embroidery decorating the sleeves, back, side of the pants and collar. The white of the fabric only highlights the purple, light green, and yellow detail of the decoration.

He must confess that he does look good.

A soft gasp behind him makes Alex turn around.

Orina is standing at the entrance of the tent, appearing in awe and eyes wet. “Look at you. My gorgeous little boy.”

Kallus blushes softly and walks to hug his mother close. It had been a beautiful surprise from Zeb. He had arranged for Hera to pick up his whole family and bring them to Lira San for their special day.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were helping Inessa to get Alyx ready?” He questions. His niece is taking really seriously her role of flower girl.

“Everyone is in place and prepared. Only missing the grooms,” she says and grins as she steps back. “Ms. Syndulla is checking on Garazeb.”

Kallus looks at her and frowns. “Why do I feel like you and Hera have something in mind?”

“Nothing to worry. Just a friendly bet.” She chuckles. “Which one of you will have cold feet first.”

Alex blushes a little. “Neither of us will, Mama. We have waited long enough for this day.”

“That is good to hear, because it’s time to go,” she announces and gives him another look over. “By the stars, Alexsandr, where are your shoes?”

“It’s fine, Mother. I want to stay barefoot. It is a way to connect with the planet and the people of my husband,” he says softly.

Orina seems to accept the explanation as she moves and offers her arm. Alex wraps his arm with hers and takes a deep inhalation. A soft song begins to play outside before they walk out. On the other side of the field, Zeb is coming out of his tent, arm locked around Hera’s.

Kallus feels the breath knocked out of him at the sight. Zeb is stunning in his own traditional Lasat’s wedding attire. He is dressed all in white with embroideries made of yellow, dark green and burn orange.

Their eyes meet, and the world around them disappears as they walk toward each other until they reach the middle of the aisle. They stop in front of each other. Kallus only looks away to kiss his mother’s cheek. Zeb does the same to Hera. The two women reach to peck the cheek of the men facing them before walking side by side along the aisle. Alyx and Jacen are getting anxious to move. For a second, Kallus worries the boy will lose the bracelets if he keeps jumping in place.

Kallus and Zeb stay face-to-face as the two women take their seats. Kallus smiles, watching their friends and family. He has never imagined seeing a day like this.

“Ready?” Zeb whispers.

“Of course,” he murmurs and links his arm with Zeb.

Together, they take their first step toward the altar with the man that has changed his life.

**Author's Note:**

> (update : forgo to thank Anath_Tsurugi to have let me use one word of the Lasani language she work so hard on.   
> aman : mother)


End file.
